Scarborough 2nds remain in trouble after Selby loss

Andy Bloomfield

Scarborough 2nds are still in the York League Ebor Division Two relegation zone after their 59-run defeat at Selby.

The home side were restricted to 167-9 thanks to fine bowling from Matt Watson (3-44), Adam Eustace (2-18) and David Snowball (2-38), with a fine 69 from Alex Bowden keeping Selby competitive.

Brad Milburn (35), Watson (21) and Eustace (19) tried their best with the bat, but superb bowling from James Middleton (5-53) and Lee Wild (3-27) saw Scarborough skittled for 108.

Scarborough are 11 points adrift of their closest rivals Goole 2nds with two games to play, the two sides meeting at North Marine Road in a crucial game on Saturday.

Michael Brown (30no) was the hero for Pickering as he guided them to Premier Division victory over Flixton with the visitors nine wickets down.

That came after he had already taken four wickets to help dismiss the hosts for 191 despite the contributions of Richard Malthouse (45) and Will Norman (44).

Colin Frank’s 39 looked to have been made in a lost cause with Jamie Nesfield (4-50) and Harry Walmsley (3-43) seemingly having taken control until all-rounder Brown seized it back.

Mark Wilkie has often been at the forefront during Sessay’s first season in the top flight and so it was perhaps no surprise that his runs and wickets at North Marine Road helped secure the newcomers' YPLN survival although they left it late winning by four wickets with just five balls to spare.

Scarborough found themselves in real trouble at 104-8, Wilkie (5-36) having taken five wickets, before they were rescued by a league record ninth-wicket partnership worth 93 between Jonathan Read (51) and Kristian Wilkinson (52no).

There was no such problem first up for the visitors as openers Wilkie (85) and Mark Jackson (55) put on 117, but the loss for five wickets for 35 runs in the middle of the innings then ensured a nervy ending to the contest.